Wegovy Half-Life
See the dosage chart to find out how long Wegovy stays in your system.
Chart your Wegovy injection half-life
How Wegovy dosing works
Wegovy starts at 0.25 mg once a week and goes up every 4 weeks: 0.5 mg, 1 mg, 1.7 mg and then 2.4 mg from week 17. The maintenance dose is 2.4 mg, or 1.7 mg if needed. After at least 4 weeks on 2.4 mg, some adults can move up to 7.2 mg.
Wegovy and Ozempic contain the same medicine, semaglutide, but they use different dose steps. Ozempic dosage chart and half-life →
- Starting doseMonth 1Weeks 1–40.25 mgonce a week
- Step upMonth 2Weeks 5–80.5 mgonce a week
- Step upMonth 3Weeks 9–121 mgonce a week
- Maintenance optionMonth 4Weeks 13–161.7 mgonce a week
- Maintenance optionMonth 5 onwardWeek 17 onward2.4 mgonce a week
- Optional higher doseMonth 6 onwardWeek 21 onward7.2 mgonce a week
Wegovy dosing schedule by week
| When | Weekly dose | What this step is for |
|---|---|---|
| Weeks 1–4Month 1 | 0.25 mg | Starting doseHelps your body get used to semaglutide. It is not meant as a long-term dose. |
| Weeks 5–8Month 2 | 0.5 mg | Step upSecond step, weeks 5 to 8. |
| Weeks 9–12Month 3 | 1 mg | Step upThird step, weeks 9 to 12. |
| Weeks 13–16Month 4 | 1.7 mg | Maintenance optionWeeks 13 to 16, and a maintenance dose if 2.4 mg is not right for you. |
| Week 17 onwardMonth 5 onward | 2.4 mg | Maintenance optionFrom week 17. The recommended maintenance dose. |
| Week 21 onwardMonth 6 onward | 7.2 mg | Optional higher doseFrom week 21 at the earliest, after at least 4 weeks on 2.4 mg, where this dose is approved. |
Get reminders for every Wegovy jab and track each dose step in Glapp
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How long does Wegovy stay in your system?
Wegovy (semaglutide) has a half-life of about 1 week, so the amount in your body halves roughly every 7 days after your last jab. The US prescribing information says semaglutide stays in the circulation for about 5 to 7 weeks after the last 2.4 mg or 7.2 mg dose.
- Half-life
- About 1 week (7 days)
- Highest level
- 1 to 3 days after a jab
- Steady state
- After about 5 weeks on the same dose
- Mostly cleared (under 3%)
- About 5 weeks after the last dose
The US Wegovy label says semaglutide stays in the circulation for about 5 to 7 weeks after the last injection of 2.4 mg or 7.2 mg. The EU label says about 7 weeks after the last 2.4 mg dose.
Wegovy and Ozempic contain the same medicine, semaglutide. Wegovy is the brand for weight management, with doses up to 2.4 mg and, in several countries, 7.2 mg.
Wegovy half-life chart
Estimated share of the medicine left after your last jab, compared with the highest level just after that jab. It assumes you had been on the same dose for at least 4 weeks.
| Time since your last jab | Estimated level left |
|---|---|
| 1 week (7 days) | 59% |
| 2 weeks (14 days) | 29% |
| 3 weeks (21 days) | 15% |
| 4 weeks (28 days) | 7.4% |
| 5 weeks (35 days) | 3.7% |
| 6 weeks (42 days) | 1.8% |
| 7 weeks (49 days) | 0.9% |
| 8 weeks (56 days) | 0.5% |
When to increase your Wegovy dose
The label raises the dose every 4 weeks until 2.4 mg in week 17. If you do not tolerate a step, the US label says your prescriber can consider delaying the next increase by 4 weeks.
The 7.2 mg dose is for adults who have tolerated 2.4 mg for at least 4 weeks and need more weight reduction. In the EU, the UK and Brazil it is limited to people with a BMI of 30 or more.
What is the maximum dose of Wegovy?
The maximum dose of Wegovy is 7.2 mg once a week where that dose is approved, and 2.4 mg otherwise. Adolescents aged 12 and over stay on 2.4 mg or 1.7 mg.
In the trial behind 7.2 mg, adults without diabetes lost 18.8% of their body weight over 72 weeks, compared with 15.5% on 2.4 mg and 3.9% on placebo.
Wegovy pens and strengths
In the US, Wegovy comes as single-dose pens from 0.25 mg to 2.4 mg, and 7.2 mg comes as the Wegovy HD pen. The US label also includes a FlexTouch pen that delivers four 2.4 mg doses.
In the EU and the UK, 7.2 mg is given either with a single 7.2 mg pen or as three 2.4 mg injections at the same time. In Brazil, it is given as three 2.4 mg injections.
If you miss a dose of Wegovy
US label: if your next dose is more than 2 days away, take the missed dose as soon as possible; if it is less than 2 days away, skip it. After 2 or more missed doses in a row, your prescriber restarts the dose steps at a lower dose.
EU, UK and Brazil labels: take a missed dose within 5 days. After 5 days, skip it and continue on your usual day.
What is Wegovy 7.2 mg (Wegovy HD)?
Wegovy 7.2 mg is a higher weekly dose of semaglutide approved in 2026 in the US, where it is sold as Wegovy HD, and in the EU, the UK and Brazil.
Exposure rises in proportion to the dose, so 7.2 mg gives about 3 times the level of 2.4 mg. In the trials, an unusual skin sensation called dysaesthesia was reported by 22% of people on 7.2 mg, compared with 6% on 2.4 mg.
After one dose vs. after months on Wegovy
The level falls by about half every 7 days, whether you took a single jab or have been on Wegovy for months. What changes is the starting point: after several weeks on the same dose the jabs overlap, and the peak is about 2.1 times higher than after one jab, so there is more to clear. As a share of the peak, the timeline in the table above applies either way.
Why Wegovy can feel weaker before your next jab
Wegovy peaks about 28 hours after a jab, once you are on a steady dose. By the day of your next weekly jab, the estimated level is about 59% of that peak, so some people notice more hunger or fewer side effects late in the week. This is expected with once-weekly dosing. If it bothers you, talk to your prescriber rather than changing your schedule on your own.
Can you flush Wegovy out of your system faster?
No. There is no proven way to speed up how your body clears semaglutide. Drinking more water, exercising or fasting does not shorten its half-life, because it is broken down slowly by normal metabolism rather than flushed out. If side effects are the problem, contact your healthcare professional.
Stopping Wegovy before surgery or pregnancy
Pregnancy: the Wegovy labels advise stopping at least 2 months before a planned pregnancy, because semaglutide takes a long time to wash out.
Surgery: Wegovy slows stomach emptying, which can matter under anaesthesia or deep sedation. Tell your healthcare team about any planned surgery or procedure so they can tell you whether and when to pause it.
Frequently asked questions about Wegovy
What is the starting dose of Wegovy?
0.25 mg once a week for the first 4 weeks. It helps your body adjust and is not meant as a long-term dose.
How long does it take to reach 2.4 mg of Wegovy?
16 weeks: 4 weeks each on 0.25 mg, 0.5 mg, 1 mg and 1.7 mg, so 2.4 mg starts in week 17.
What is the maximum dose of Wegovy?
7.2 mg once a week for adults where that dose is approved, reached no earlier than week 21 after at least 4 weeks on 2.4 mg. Otherwise the maximum is 2.4 mg.
Can you stay on 1.7 mg of Wegovy?
Yes. The US label lists 1.7 mg and 2.4 mg as maintenance doses, with 2.4 mg recommended. Your prescriber decides which dose suits you.
What happens if I miss 2 weeks of Wegovy?
The US label says that after 2 or more missed doses in a row, treatment restarts at a lower dose and increases again, to reduce stomach side effects. Do not double a dose to catch up.
Is Wegovy dosing the same as Ozempic?
No. Both are semaglutide, but Ozempic goes up to 2 mg for type 2 diabetes, while Wegovy continues to 1.7 mg, 2.4 mg and 7.2 mg for weight management.
What is the half-life of Wegovy?
About 1 week, according to the prescribing information. That is why Wegovy is injected once a week.
How long does Wegovy stay in your system after stopping?
The US label says about 5 to 7 weeks after the last 2.4 mg or 7.2 mg dose. The estimated level is about 29% of its peak after 2 weeks, about 7% after 4 weeks and under 3% after about 5 weeks.
How long does one Wegovy jab last?
After a single jab the level peaks 1 to 3 days later and then halves about every 7 days, just like after stopping. This slow decline is why one jab covers a full week.
Does Wegovy 7.2 mg stay in your system longer than 2.4 mg?
Not as a share of the peak. The half-life is the same, and the label says exposure rises in proportion to the dose up to 7.2 mg. A 7.2 mg dose starts from a level about 3 times higher, so it takes a few more days before only a trace is left.
Why does Wegovy seem to wear off at the end of the week?
With weekly jabs, the estimated level just before the next dose is about 59% of the peak, so some people notice more hunger late in the week. If it bothers you, discuss it with your prescriber rather than changing the schedule.
Is Wegovy the same as Ozempic?
Both contain semaglutide from Novo Nordisk and have the same half-life. Wegovy is approved for weight management and uses higher doses (2.4 mg and 7.2 mg); Ozempic is approved for type 2 diabetes, with doses up to 2 mg.
How the estimate works
The calculator uses a one-compartment model with first-order absorption, the standard way to describe a weekly injection. It uses average values for semaglutide: a half-life of 7 days, a peak 1.5 days after a single jab and 89% absorption from the injection site. Real levels vary from person to person, and the model does not show how well the medicine works for you.
Data Sources
Label facts on this page come from these sources:
- Wegovy US prescribing information — Novo Nordisk, FDA-approved label
- Wegovy EU product information — EMA summary of product characteristics
- Semaglutide clinical pharmacology review — FDA, NDA 209637
Check Our Other Free Tools
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Important
This page is general information, not medical advice. Levels shown are estimates from a model, not lab results. Follow your prescriber and the instructions that come with your medicine.